Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 353 Lucas: Aggressive Behavior

LUCAS

Five wolf bodies lie on the ground, their blood settled into pools of blood beneath them, frozen now in the snow.

My beta approaches, his face grim. He kneels beside one of the corpses, examining it with a critical eye. "You said they weren't in their right minds?"

I've seen my share of battles, but this was different. The rogues attacked with a ferocity that bordered on madness. "It wasn't natural. Almost rabid. We didn't have a chance to communicate."

I stand over the largest of the bodies, frowning. It wasn't as though we hadn't tried to bring them in alive. They just had no interest in negotiating. There isn't much we can do at that point.

Kellan's voice breaks through my thoughts. "They're only five miles from the compound."

"They were heading south," I say, watching as Kellan's shoulders visibly relax. "Not toward the pack."

It's a small comfort, but I'll take what I can get. Still, the proximity is unsettling. These rogues could have easily changed course, stumbled upon our territory. They're too close. We need to tighten our security, make sure we don't let it happen again.

I crouch down beside one of the bodies, studying it closely. "Maybe we should examine them further. There might be clues—"

Kellan shakes his head, cutting me off. "We don't have the facilities for that, Lucas. Autopsying random wolves would be a waste of resources we can't afford right now. What building are we going to take over? We can't bring dead bodies into the hospital. We don't have the room there, either."

With winter in full swing and refugees to care for, we can't spare the time or manpower for an extensive investigation over a few violent wolves. Still, the nagging feeling that we're missing something crucial gnaws at me.

"What if they were just traumatized?" Kellan suggests after a moment. "Starving, maybe. Could have gone feral."

It's a reasonable theory. We've seen it before—wolves pushed to their limits, reverting to pure instinct. Especially as rogues without a pack. But as I look at the bodies sprawled before us, something doesn't add up.

"It's possible," I concede, "but I don't think that's it." I gesture to the nearest corpse. "Look at them. They're young, strong. Their bodies are well-fed. This wasn't desperation."

"Then why attack without provocation? It doesn't make sense."

"We'll never know now."

The finality of my words hangs in the air. Five lives snuffed out, and for what? Such a waste of life.

My gaze falls back to the bodies at our feet. Their eyes are still open, glazed over in death, but I can't shake the memory of the feral gleam they held during the attack. It was as if something had stripped away their humanity, leaving nothing but raw, uncontrolled aggression.

want to do with the bodies?" Kellan asks, rising to

leave them here, that's for certain.

miles out, away from our territory. They'll have to use a

"I'll get it organized."

rogues have been on the uptick,

these bodies behind. But we have no technology to help us

eyebrow raised in question. "Once we've taken care of this, I want to double our patrols. We can't afford another surprise

* * *

the front door opening cuts through the rush

Ava.

soap from my body. Water drips down my chest as I grab a towel, hastily wrapping it around my waist. The tile is cold beneath my feet as I stride into the

snowflakes melting in her golden hair, tied back into a ponytail. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold, blue eyes bright. Something in my chest loosens at the

shower short," she says, a smile playing at her

in three long strides, wrapping my arms around her. She's so small against me, fitting perfectly into the curve of my body. Honey and

and I can

the sound brightening my day. "Lucas! You're getting soap everywhere." She shoves at

let her go, watching as she shrugs off her

don't you join me?

side. But then she nods, a slow

lead her to the bathroom. Steam still hangs in the air, fogging the mirror. I turn on the water, adjusting the

the sight

behind us. The shower suddenly feels much smaller with both of us in

the fog of desire clouding my mind.

her ass and to her face. "What do

turns to face me, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes. "You're acting strange.

hesitate, unsure how to respond. The memory of those five dead wolves flashes through

say, reaching for the shampoo

clearly not believing me. But she doesn't press the issue, turning back to let the

my hand, working it into her hair. My fingers massage her scalp, and I feel some of the tension leave her body. She leans back against me, and I

liar, you know that?" Ava says, her voice

hands still tangled in her

mine. "You don't have to tell me if